OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
CURE OF THE INSANE.
DIGGING LONG TUNNEL.
Good Record the Past Year at the
Oregon Asylum.
Salem An unusually good record in
the curing of patients Las kept down
the number of inmates of the state in
sane asylum and has probably averted
congestion at that institution. When
the last legislature met, there was
every reaBon to believe that the con
struction of a new wing would be abso-
Baker City Irrigation Co. to Conduct
Water Through Hill.
Baker City The 500-foot tunnel of
the Baker City Irrigation company
through the hill on which is situated
the city reservoir 1b ander way by a
gang of 40 men, with all the necessary
machinery. Work was commenced at
both ends simultaneously, and unleBB
lutely Becessary within the ensuing two Ube plans of the engineers go wrong,
years. An appropriation ior an auui
tion of three wards was made, but the
appropriation was included in the om
nibus appropriation bill and was held
up by the referendum. Construction of
new rooms was therefore made impos
sible. . ,
The usual rate of increase in popula
tion at the asylum is 50 per year, and
at that rate the institution would have
been crowded. to the limit before anoth
er legislature could take action. Of
late, however, a large number ol pa
tienta have been discharged.
Should the next legislature make an
appropriation for a new wing, contain
ing three wards, it will be at least two
van from the present time before the
addition would be ready for occupancy.
There is now room for 08 more patients
in the men's department and ten in the
women's department. Unless, there'
jfore, the preBeht low rate of increase
Continues, tbe"building will be full be-
ffore the capacity can be enlarged.
I In any event it will be necessary to
i transform one1 of the men's wards into
f a ward for women, and probably it will
tie necessary to use some of the men'B
: smoking rooms for dormitories
the two crews will meet in the middle
of the hill.
When completed this will be the
greatest irrigation tunnel in Eastern
Oregon.
The entire cost of the tunnel will be
about $40,000, while the system this
company is putting in will cose over
$100,000. The headgates are on Pow
der river, about seven miles above
Baker City. The ditch follows the foot
hills down to the big reservoir hill,
where a tunnel was found necessary.
After leaving the tunnel the water will
be taken around the east side of Baker
City and put on about 5,000 acres of
land adjoining the city limits on the
northeast . '
This land will be devoted to fruit
rafting and small farming. E. L
Smith, of Hood River, ia at the head
of i the company building; this ditch
arid'dt is the firBt and only irrigation
pMect of any magnitude in Baker
county.
NEEDS A STRONG LEADER.
BUSINESS IS PROMISING.
Portage Railroad Saves Farmers Five
Cents a Bushel on Wheat.
Salem That the operation of the
portage road from The Dalles to Celilo
has resulted in an increase of 5 cents a
bushel to wheat crowing farmers, who
were able to reach the portage road, ie
the report made by Superintendent L'
8. Cook, 'to the Portage Railway com
.mission. Not all the wheat that brought
the increased price was shipped over
the portage road, however, for Mr
Cook says that the O. R. & N. Co. has
met the cut brought about by the oper
ation of the state's railroad and farmers
have profited in that way.
The O. R. & N. met the cut by ab'i
sorbing drayage at Arlington and by
other means and thereby secured much
of the shipping. Only 18,139 sacks bf
wheat went over the portage road dur
insr November, but more could have
been secured by seeking contracts and
more will be secured when the shippers
become familiar with the rates. ,
J I Linn Farms May Yield Oi
V Albany Are the foothills of Linn
county charged with crude oil that will
make the owners of the land fabulously
rich? This question is agitating the
minds of a large number of people
since the investigation of the land has
been taken up by A. A,.Horter, Wil
liam S. Harris and W. P. Ready -'For
some time these men have been pros
pecting in the coal fields around La-
comb, and now have arranged to lease
several hundred acres in that neighbor?
hood for the avowed purpose of boring
for oil.
Russian Nation Blindly Staggers In
Throes or nevoiunon.
St. Petersturg, via Eydtkuhnen, Dec.
11. But one question is being asked
at present in this unhappy country:
Where is the revolution leading Russia?
It is ihe one all important subject be
fore the people, and happy would be
the man who could foresee just what is
ahead. But this is impossible. The
best informed men can only guess at
what may come to pass. All is chaos
and disorder, and what is worse, there
is no light ahead. Russia today might
well be likened to a giant staggering
down a blind alley in the blackest mid
night. He knows not where his path
leads; be cannot tell wnere pmaiis are
before him. The end of it all can only
be guessed and no prediction is of any
value.
For this revolution is a terrible
thine. It has paralyzed industry, it has
ruined all business, it has tied up the
postal and telegraph service, and when
it desired, it has effectually stopped
all railroad traffic. It has been re
sponsible for crimes unspeakable; it
has caused the blood of Russian pat
riots to flow from one end of the em'
pire to the other ; it has arrayed class
against class and man against man ; it
has bred mutiny in the navy and creat
ed dissension among the soldiers ; it
has caused the peasants to rise against
the tyrants who for centuries have
dominated them and ground them to
the earth. It has practically nullified
the authority of the government and
given to the proletariat powers be never
drVamedf fjfoBsesling 12, month; ago,
because he has learned' ho'w he may
bend all authority, even that of the
czar, to nis win.
CONDITIONS
WORSE
Troops and Workmen Fight on
Streets ot Riga.
WARSHIPS TO REGAIN CONTROL
Linn County Taxes Fixed
Albany At the regular December
term of the county court for Linn
county the tax levy for Linn county for
all purposes was fixed. The total levy
to be paid by residents of the county
who are not subject to a city tax will
be 21 mills. This includes state,
county and the several special taxes.
divided as follows: State, 6.5 mills;
school, 5.4 mills; county, 3 mills;
roada and bridges, 4 mills; indigent
soldiers, 0.1 mills; special road,
mills; total, 21 mills.
SALEM WOULD CAN FRUIT.
Bright Outlook for Show.
Albany December 19 to 23 are the
dates set for the annual exhibition of
blooded fowls under the auspices of the
Movement Started to Form Company Linn County Poultry association. This
to Handle Output. bazaar promises to be one of the best
Salem-A movement has been started yet held, and many prizes will be offer
ior the organization of a co-operative
nmnanv amona the fruitgrowers for
the purpose of constructing and' oper
ating a cannery. The plan is to form.
a corporation with 400 shares of Btock
at-$25 a share. Not more than 20
nhares can be held by one person, and
transfers can be made only through the
board of directors. The hoard will
consist of nine men and will have
charge of the businesas of the concern.
The purpose is to secure to growers
the highest possible price for fruit
The movement was started by.S. J
T,nmmon. an Eastern fruit packer, who
ed for the best exhibits, for many of
which there is material in Linn county.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
MARTIN TO FRONT;
Provisional Government Has Been Es
tablished in Baltic Provinces
Public Buildings Burned.
St. Petersburg, i& Eydtkuhnen,
Dec. 16. It is stated upon the highest
authority that two cruisers and two
torpedo boats have been ordered by the
minister of Marine, acting under in
structions of Count Witte, after an
audience with the czar, to proceed from
Libau to Riga and shell the city, if the
reovolutionists refuse to surrender.
A provisional government has been
established there and the public build
ings are occupied by representatives of
the home rule party, who have determ
ined to make Riga the capital of the
Baltic provinces.
Barricades have been erected every
where, and steamers arriving at the
port are unable to communicate with
the bore. Public buildings have been
burned. The population is fleeipg
and merchants are abandoning their
business. f .'
, T,he, new strike law provides Leavy
penalties and ' drastic punishment for
participators ana instigators oi striKes.
They may be sent to prison for froin',16
months to four years for an offerfse.
VERY LITTLE DONE
Both Houses of Congress Slow In
Getting to Business.
CANNON ANNOUNCES COMMITTEES
Senate Takes Up Railroad Rates and
Refers Bill for Canal Appropri
ation to Committee.
South Dakota Representative Wants
Commerce Controlled.
Chicago, Dec. 11. The Washington
correspondent ot the Post wires as fol
lows: , " .,' 4i . . .
Eben W. Mar'titf, of South Dakota,
hitherto counted as one of the most
conservative Republicans in the house,
has brought trouble to the door of the
party leaders by introducing a bill ot a
substance so strongly paternalistic that
it casts some of the radical measures
into the shade and by comparison
makes the others appear as bulwarks
of Conservatism. ' - ' .
Mr. Martin's measure aims to give
the government control of every cor'
ponatiou in the country that is engaged
in interstate commerce in fuel or food
supplies. Two years agd Representa
tive Martin forced consideration of bis
resolution asking for investigation of
the beet industry. The resolution
the house and the beef inquiry
is on.
Government" Openly Defied.-fv
Paris, Dec. 16. The St. Petersburg
correspondent of the Matin, undei Bate
of December 15, says the Buddea. re
turn of the government to reactionary
measures has aroused the interest of ,
the revolutionaries, who are holding
meetingB and passing resolutions de
claring their determination to jesist
the government. As the resolutions arq
passed they are forwarded to the'. min
isters, who do not reply to them.,.
A St. Petersburg dispatch to the
Journal, dated December 15, says:
'At a meeting of engineers tonight
it was resolved to demand the immedi
ate release of Schmidt, the leader of
the mutiny at Sevastopol. V;
"Alarming reports are arriving con
cerning the troops at Moscow, who ap
pear to be thoroughy disanected, ana
who, in addition to demanding in
creased pay and shorter terms .of serv
ice, ask for liberty to read all news
papers." i r -
DECREASE OF POSTOFFICES.
HOCH STARTS OIL WAR.
Wheat Club, 72o per bushel; blue
stem, 74c; valley, 73c; red, 68c.
Oats No. 1 white feed, $27.00
gray, szo.ou per ton.
Barley Feed, $2222.50 per ton;
brewing, $22.5023; rolled, $23
23.50. ,v
Rye $1.50 per cental.
Hay Eastern Oregon timothy,
1 A K CA - 4- . 11
expects to take the management of the ! . ' g '
co-operative cannery. . M . . 8ffl9
- o '
New Cut-Off Nearly Done. il.25fai.50 per box.
McMinnville The new St. Joseph- vmthlM Beans, wax. 12c Der
Lafayette cut-off, which is nearly com- p0Und; cabbage,, llc per pound;
pleted, will enable the 'Yamhill divi- cauliflower, $1.25 per crate; celery,
inn of the Southern Pacific to have
regular trains over the new road within
a short time. The new stretch of track
ia nearly two and a half miles long,
and will do away with keeping up the
nine milea ot road from Whiteson to
Lafavette and the big bridge near the
latter place. If the present schedule
remains in force, three trains a day
will rnn into Portland at 6 and 8 a.
m. and 3 p. m.
4575c per dozen; cucumbers, 50G0c
per dozen; pumpkins, lc per
pound; tomatoes, $11. 25. per crate;
sprouts, 7c per pound; squash, lc
per pound ; turnips, 90c$l per sack;
carrots, 6575c per sack; beets, 85c
$1 per Back.
OnionB Oregon yellow Danvera,
$11.25 per sack.
Potatoes Fuicy graded Burbanks,
6575c per sack; ordinary, 5560c;
Merced sweets, sacks, $1.90; crates,
$2.15.
Butter Fancy creamery, 27)30c
1
Would Spread Kansas Laws Over
Entire Nation.
Topeka, Dec. 11. Governor Hoch
has started a national war on the
Standard Oil company. Last year the
governor threw the gaff into the Stand
ard by means of several laws regulating
the oil industry. Now he wants the
same thing to happen in the other
states of the Union and accordingly is
sending letters to every other state gov
ernor asking for the passage of the
same laws that Kansas has now on the
statute books.
He recites the facts in the Kansas
fight and explains the pipe line com
mon carrier, the maximum freight rate
and the anti-discrimination laws which
cut the Standard tenacles, and con
eludes: "It is extremely .desirable to
extend the operation of these principles
of government to other states, that the
greatest possible good may come oi
them. I therefore' roost heartily re
commend these enactments to the fa'
vorable consideration of the governors
of sister states, and trust they may
think the lubject of sufficient import
ance to recommend to their respective
legislatures, and I urge the legislatures
of the several states to study these
Kansas enactments and if thought wiae
to incorporate them or their essential
features into the laws of their respect
ive states. "
Snow Falls Early.
Burns The first snow storm of the
vear hafl'visited this county, and snow per pound
is now 12 inches deep in the valley and Eggs Oregon ranch, 35c per dozen,
three feet on the mountains. This is Poultry Average old hens, 12c per
more Bnow than fell all last winter, and lb; young roosters, 10llc; springs
old settlers Bay it is more than has fall-1 ll)12c; dressed chickens, 1212c;
en this time of year since the bard
rointfir of 1887-88. when 75 per cent of
t.h Htnnk perished. The early snow
indicates a long, cold winter, but the
stockmen have plenty of fodder for five
months' feeding.
Complaints on Illegal Fishing.
Tillamook Deputy Fish Warden H.
A. Webster has filed two complaints in
Justice Haberlack's court on account of
the alleged violation of the fishing law
in Tillamook bay. One is agaisnt the
Elmore Packing company, and the oth
er against W. W. Ridehalgh, manager
of the cannery at Garibaldi.
turkeys, live, 16c; turkeys, dressed,
choice, 1718c; geese, live, 910c;
ducks, 1415c.
Hops Oregon, 1905, choice, 10
llj-nc per pound; olds, 57c.
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
1621c per pound; valley, 24 26c;
mohair, choice, 30c.
Beef Dressed bulls, Kg 2c per
pound; cows, 84; country steers, 4
4c.
Veal Dressed, 37c per pound.
Mutton Dressed, 'ancy, 77)c per
pound; ordinary, 45c; lambs, 7
7c.
PorkDressed, 67c per pound.
Big Game for Roosevelt.
Washington, Dec. 11. Major M. H
W. Llewellyn, United States attorney
for New Mexico, took luncheon at the
white house today and urged the pres'
ident to visit him next spring for the
purpose of hunting jaguars cc leopards.
'which are found along the Mexican
border. He is hopeful of persuading
the president to go. The major snapped
his fingers in derision at the very idea
of hunting for bobcats and coyotes
The major is confident that the joint
statehood bill, merging New Mexice
and Arizona, will pass this session.
Many Coal Barges Lost.
Hawesville, Ky., Dec. 11. At 9
o'clock tonight the towboatB Harry
Brown and Raymond Horner, with tows
of coal for New Orleans were caught in
a severe wind storm opposite here. The
Brown lost 27 bargeB, while the Horner
lost seven. Each barge contained 25,
C00 bushels of coal. The coal was val
ued at $120,000 and the bargeB at $64,
000. No lives were lost.
Result of Rural Delivery Local Par
cels Post Proposed.
Washington, Dec. 16. The annual
report of Fourth Assistant' Postmaster
General P. V. DeGraw says there has
been a decrease of 575 in the new post
masters commissioned, as compared
with the previous year. The actual
number of postoffices in , the United
States at the close of the. fiscal year
was:
First claBB, 275; Becond class, 1,258;
third class, 4,120; fourth class, 62,
478; total, 68,131.
This, the report says, ,was a reduc
tion, resulting mainly from the discon
tinuance of 3,492 fourth class postoffices
during the year by reason of the estab
lishment of rural free delivery, 'lhe
aggregate compensation (of the post
masters thus displaced ' amounted to
$198,994.
City free delivery baa been extended
during the year to 44 new postofficeB,
as against 69 in 1904. The gross re
ceipts of free delivery offices during
the year had increased 8 per cent ana
the cost only 2 per cent.
Mr. DeGraw renews the recommend
ation that a rate of 3 tents per pound
or any fractional part thereof be fixed
on packages not exceeding five pounds
mailed at the distributing postoffice of
anv rural free delivery route. This
rate should apply only to packages de
posited in the local postoffice for deliv
ery to boxes of patrons on routes eman
ating from that office, and not to mail
transmitted from one office to another.
Washington, Dec. 12. With spirited
debate on the subjects of railroad rate
legislation, arising through the intro
duction of a bill by Mr. Tillman to au
thorize the Interstate Commerce com
mission to fix miximum ' rates, and of
the Panama canal, due to a controversy
over the reference of the emergency ap
propriation bill to a committee, yester
day's session of the senate continuously ,.
proved interesting for more than four (
hours.
An adjournment was taken without a '
mention of thn late Senator Mitchell of '
Oregon, and so for the first time the
death of a senator was permitted to pass
unnoticed by the senate. The erasure
of Mr. Mitchell's name from tbe rolls
followed. Chaplain Hale recalled the
situation to mind in his prayer by re-.,-'
Jerring pointedly to corruption and
death and by praying that members of
the senate be given -strength to bear
each other's, burdens.
.After more than a score of senators
had discussed the Panama bill . it was
referred to the appropriation committee
by a vote of 40 to 23. ' ''',' '."
The senate then, at 4:50 p. m., went '
into executive session and at 5:10 ad
journed; 1 t - , . .;
f In the 'House. '
"The only ,matter.,of importance com
ing up in the house was the announce
ment of committee appointments by
Speaker Cannon, - after which adjourn-',
ment was taken until Wednesday. '
,', Northwest Committeemen, 4.',
Humphrey, Wash,,, was placed on the
mercnant marine ana nsneries commit-,. .
tee; Jones, Wash., rivers and harbors;
rrencn, iaano, puDiic lanas ana immi-
gration and naturalization; nermann,
Ore.,, Indian affairs; Williamson, Ore.,
mines and mining and irrigation of arid
lands; Cushmarl, Wash., stays on in
terstate and foreign commerce and on
private land claims! '
The following are the principal com
mittees -with chairman: Ways and
means, Payne; appropriations, Tawn- '
ey; foreign affairs, Hitt; judiciary,
Elkini; military 'affairs, Hull; naval
affairs,, Foss; insular affairs, Cooper;
banking and currency, Fowler; merch
ant marine and. fisheries, Grosvenor;
territories, Hamilton ; elections, Mann ;
rivers and harbors, Burton; railways
and canals, ' Davidson ; agriculture,
Wadsworth ; postoffices and post roads,
Overstreet; public lands, Lacy; Indian'
affairs, Sherman; manufactures, Sib
ley ; mines and mining, Brown ; invalid
pensions, Sullpway; pensions, Louden
alager; claims, Miller; war claims,
Mahon ; irrigation of arid lands, Mon
dell; immigration and naturalization,
Howell; printing, Wachter.
FRANCE WEARY OF WAITING.
Patience is, .Becoming Exhausted by
. Castro s Procrastination.
- Army of Strike Breakers.
Chicago, Dec. 16. The Chicago Em
ployers' association, at a meeting to
day, formulated plans for the establish
ment of a Btanding army of laborers,
both skilled and unskilled and repre
senting every branch of trade to be pre
pared to go to any city in the United
States to fill the places of strikers when
necessary. The scope of the associa
tion will be extended so as to include
every city in the United States with a
population of 50,000 or more. Employ
ment bureaus will be maintained where
nonunion workmen can register.
Horizontal Reduction of Tariff.
Washington, Dec. 16. Senator Mc
Creary yesterday introduced a bill to
reduce the tariff of the United States
by providing that there shall be levied
upon ail articles imported from foreign
countries a rate equal to three fourths
of the present schedule. '
Washington, Dec. 12. France has
refused to" Withdraw her note to Vene
zuela, protesting against President Cas
tro's treatment of M.Taign, the French
diplomatic representative . M.J UBser
and, the French ambassador, bad a
long conference with Secretary Root to
day regarding the Venezuela situation,
which it can be announced on high au
thority is daily growing worse. France,
it is understood, "'would have taken
steps to protect her own interests in
Venezuela before this, had it not been
for the unwillingness of the French
government to make any move which
would hinder or embarrass the settle
ment of the American troubles with
Venezuela. This is thoroughly under
stood by Secretary Root and although
Mr. Russell, the American minister, is
still endeavoring to assist in reaching a
peaceful settlement of affairs at Cara-
is about exhausted.
Bill for Federal Control.
Washington, Dec. 12. A novel
method of seeing Federal control over
insurance is proposed in a bill intro
duced yesterday by Representative Lan
dis, of Indiana. The bill cites that
congress has exclusive jurisdiction over
the District of Columbia, the territories
and the insular possessions of tbe Unit
ed States. In consequence authority is
given the department of Comerce and
Labor to require full statements from
all insurance companies doing business
within such jurisdiction over which
cogress controls.
Sympathy for Russian Jews.
Washington, Dec. 12. Representa
tive Sulzer, ol New York, yesterday in
troduced a resolution of sympathy for
Russian Jews. ,